Early the next morning, they all gathered at Healthy Stir-fry Restaurant, sitting around a table for six as they waited for breakfast.
Breakfast was Yangchun noodles, with no extra toppings, just a sprinkling of chopped scallions. The noodles had been hand-rolled by Jiang Jiankang, and the broth was his treasured stock.
No other ingredients were needed. A bowl of broth was enough.
The noodles were springy and delicious. They polished off the huge bowl in no time.
"Brother Feng, you really suffered those first two years eating pig feed with me at A University." Even breakfast was this delicious, and Wang Hao could not help sighing with feeling.
"Yeah, Brother Feng, your family's restaurant should have opened here sooner." Qiu Chen agreed. Then, looking at Liu Zixuan, he suddenly remembered something. "Zixuan, don't you have no morning classes? Why are you up so early?"
"I came to help out at the restaurant. Getting up early is good for your health." Liu Zixuan's face did not change, as though he was not the one who had previously skipped club dinners because he could not get out of bed.
There was still some time before class, so Jiang Feng and Wang Hao slowly made their way to the classroom together.
They happened to run into Professor Li beneath the teaching building.
"Hello, Professor." Jiang Feng and Wang Hao greeted him together.
"Hello." Professor Li nodded at them, then stopped Jiang Feng. "Jiang Feng, there's something I'd like to ask you."
Wang Hao tactfully headed to the classroom first.
"Professor, what is it?" Jiang Feng asked.
"I wanted to ask whether your father can make Clear Soup with Bird's Nest Slices. I saw it on the menu board yesterday, but it wasn't on the menu," Professor Li asked.
Jiang Feng had not expected Professor Li to have looked at the menu board. After a moment of surprise, he replied, "Sorry, Professor Li, my dad can't make that dish. Only my grandfather can. My grandfather is in the countryside right now. If you want it, I can call and ask him."
"I see." Professor Li did not seem disappointed and pressed on, "May I ask who your grandfather is...?"
"My grandfather's name is Jiang Weiguo." Back when the old man had been a head chef at a State-run Restaurant, he had been somewhat famous. But Professor Li was from Yanjing, so far away that he probably had not heard the old man's name.
Judging from Professor Li's expression, he clearly had not heard of Jiang Weiguo either. "Then I'll have to trouble you. Let's go upstairs."
As they walked, Professor Li suddenly seemed to recall something. "Jiang Weiguo... Weiguo... Jiang Feng, do you... do you know Jiang Chengde?"
"Jiang Chengde? He was my great-grandfather." Jiang Feng had not expected Professor Li to know Jiang Chengde. According to the old man, his great-grandfather had died during the War of Resistance.
"Jiang Feng, I'm begging you, you must invite your grandfather here. Money isn't a problem, and neither are the ingredients. Please." Professor Li suddenly became agitated.
"Th-there shouldn't be a problem. My grandfather just likes staying in the countryside. It's not that he has stopped cooking." Jiang Feng was rather startled.
"Please." Professor Li gave Jiang Feng a deep bow.
An elderly teacher was actually bowing to him. Jiang Feng did not know what to do and blurted out, "Professor, I need to use the restroom first."
Then he fled as though running for his life.
"Ding! An optional side quest has appeared. Please make your own selection."
A side quest?
In a corner of the restroom, Jiang Feng opened his status panel.
The side quests had changed to—
Side Quest: (Optional) 1. Mother's Wish Wang Xiulian had always hoped for a gentle, understanding, slim daughter-in-law. Please fulfill your mother's wish by finding a gentle, understanding, slim girlfriend. Choose: Yes/No 2. Li Junming's Wish Li Junming's father, Li Mingyi, did not have long to live. Li Mingyi had been born into a prominent Yanjing family, and as a child, a dish of Clear Soup with Bird's Nest Slices made by Jiang Chengde, the head chef of Tai Feng Lou, had left an unforgettable impression on him. Please fulfill Li Junming's wish and let Li Mingyi taste the Clear Soup with Bird's Nest Slices from his memories. Choose: Yes/No
After clicking Yes, the quest became:
Li Junming's Wish Li Junming's father, Li Mingyi, did not have long to live. Li Mingyi had been born into a prominent Yanjing family, and as a child, a dish of Clear Soup with Bird's Nest Slices made by Jiang Chengde, the head chef of Tai Feng Lou, had left an unforgettable impression on him. Please fulfill Li Junming's wish and let Li Mingyi taste the Clear Soup with Bird's Nest Slices from his memories. Quest Progress (0/1) Quest Hint: This quest is extremely difficult. Please explore on your own. Quest Reward: Unknown
Jiang Feng: ...
Why, thank you so much for telling me to explore on my own!
Of course he knew the quest was difficult. Even the old man could not make Jiang Chengde's legendary Clear Soup with Bird's Nest Slices.
What kind of person had Jiang Chengde been? According to the old man, back then, all the princes, nobles, and X Banner Descendants in Beiping City had to queue up and wait for his cooking. He could pick from any rare ingredient he wanted. Even if he had wanted dragon meat from the heavens, those gourmets would have found a way to get it for him.
One was the strongest King, while the other was a stubborn Bronze.
They were not even in the same league.
A professor was a professor indeed. Even his wish was this hard to fulfill—harder than a hidden quest!
Jiang Feng went to the professor.
Wang Hao had already claimed their seats in the fourth row, neither too far forward nor too far back. They could listen to the lecture if they wanted, or sleep if they did not.
"Brother Feng, what did Teacher Li want with you?" Professor Li was looking over his lesson plan on the podium as Wang Hao asked curiously.
"He wanted to ask my grandfather to make him a Clear Soup with Bird's Nest Slices." Jiang Feng did not hide it.
"Wow, Professor Li really is rich." Wang Hao sighed. "No wonder they say he has a courtyard house in Yanjing."
Who knew where he had heard that bit of gossip.
"Is Clear Soup with Bird's Nest Slices good?" What Wang Hao cared about most was still the taste.
"I've never had it," Jiang Feng said. How could his family possibly have nothing better to do than make such an expensive dish?
"Brother Feng, I heard your family restaurant has opened. We'll come support you at noon!" A classmate behind them smiled. "Do we get a discount?"
"Anyone who finishes their food and posts it on WeChat Moments gets ten percent off." Jiang Feng had principles.
"Qian Tang, let me tell you, Brother Feng's dad's cooking is seriously..." Wang Hao never forgot his mission of advertising. He turned around and began boasting to the classmates behind him about Jiang Jiankang's cooking skills.
As he spoke, Wang Hao took out his phone and showed everyone the photo of last night's pork knuckle, drawing a chorus of amazed exclamations.
"That pork knuckle cost over a hundred!" Wang Hao did not forget to emphasize the price.
"Over a hundred? We can just get a few people together and order one to try!" Another person who was not short on money.
"Pork knuckles need to be reserved in advance," Jiang Feng said, turning around. "One has to be braised for several hours. There's no way to make it on the spot in time."
Jiang Jiankang only had one pork knuckle today. If it got sold, he would probably hug the pork knuckle and cry.
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